Military, supported by helicopters, launches fresh offensive in Sinai

EL-ARISH, Egypt: Egyptian soldiers backed by attack helicopters swept through several villages in the strategic Sinai peninsula early Friday, part of an offensive aimed at driving out Al-Qaeda-inspired groups, a military official and a witness said.
The military assault came a day after a group called Jund Al-Islam claimed responsibility for two suicide car bombings that targeted a military intelligence headquarters and a checkpoint in the peninsula, killing six. Helicopter gunships targeted suspected militant hideouts in a number of villages south of the town of Sheikh Zuweyid and farmlands near the city of El-Arish at sunrise, a military official said.
Sheik Hassan Khalaf, who lives in a village some five km from the targeted areas, said that he saw smoke billowing in the sky after hearing loud explosions starting from 5 a.m.
“I think that the suicide attacks are desperate attempt to repel military assault,” Khalaf said in a telephone interview. “But as a resident here, I hope the military never stops until they are all out of here.”
Earlier, tribesmen expressed anger over two elders being accidentally shot and the military demolishing of homes in middle of the fighting.
“Those Takfiris are hiding in middle of the residential areas. It’s a war and it is very possible that people get shot in the middle. This is unavoidable,” Khalaf said.